The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-02-05

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ton. Before the matter could be
arranged Spaulding died, and after
his death, in 1926. the manuscript
fell into the hands of one Sidney Rig.
don. by whose means it came under
the inspection of Joseph Smith. From
it Smith conceived the idea of found
ing a new sect. Joe Smith having
obtained the manuscript as stated,
pretends that on the 22d day Of Sep
TENDER, 1927, the angel of the Lord
placed in his hands certain gold plates
upon which were engraved HERO
glyphics in language called the re-
formed Egyptian. not then known
on the earth. From these plates and
SpauIding's manuscript Smith. sitting
behind a blanket hung across the
room, to keep the sacred records from
profane eyes, read OF the book Of
Mormon" or golden bible as he
sometimes called 1t, to Oliver Cow
derry, who wrote IL down as Smith
read it. 1t was printed in 1880, in
volume OF several hundred pages.
On the 9th of April, 1880, with the
Book of Mormon" the contents of
which had been stolen by Joe Smith
from Spaulding's manuscript as the
rule and guide of its faith and prac-
tice. the Mormon church was regu-
larry organized at Fayette, New
York. In January. 1881, the church.
numbering about thirty, was led by
Smith to Kirkland, Ohio. Here Smith
and Rigdon set up bank without
charter and flooded the country with
notes of doubtful value, and in con-
sequence of their crooked and fraud
ulent transaction, the two prophets
were, on March %. 1882, taken from
their beds and tarred and feathered
by the people. In January, 1888. the
bank at Kirkland having failed,
Smith and Rigdon. to avoid arrest
for fraud, fled in the night holly pur.
sued by their creditors and took ref
uge in Missouri, where they were
both arrested and put in Jail to be
tried for their crimes.
THE AUTHOR OF POLYGAMY.
In 1888 the prophet Joe Smith
had persuaded several women to co.
habit with him, calling them his
spiritual wives, although he had
lawful wife to whom he had been
married in 1927. His wife became
jealous of these rivals, and to pacify
her Smith received, July IL, 1913. a
revelation authorizing polygamy.
1t was not, however, until 1862 that
the church boldly avowed and de-
Tended polygamy on the authority of
the revelation of 1843. In the mean
time, in 1S43 and 1874, the prophet
made advances to so many women,
soliciting them to become his spirit
ual wives, that great uproar was
created by the declarations of those
whose virtue was proof against his
attempts. Many ladies who were
thus outraged openly denounced
Smith and renowned MOrmonism.
The husbands of these ladies COM
menced the publication of a paper
called the ErpoSitor, to expose Smith.
In the first number they printed the
affidavits of sixteen ladies to the ef-
feet that Smith and Sidney Rigdon
had endeavored to convert them to
the spiritual wife doctrine and to
seduce them under the plea of hav-
ing a special commission from heav-
en-. On the 9Th of May. 1874, Smith
and party OF his followers Destroy
ed the Erpositor Office and all its
presses and property. at which time
the county militia was called out to
enforce thelaw. Smith and his BROTH
er was jailed to await trial. but on the
9th of June mob attacked the
Jail. overpowered the guard and kill
ed them both. In May, 1S4S. the
main body of the saints set out for
Utah, where they established them
selves and where they are permitted
to defy the laws of the land with
impunity.
We have hastily collected these
few facts from the records, to show
that Joe Smith, the Mormon prophet,
was a fraud, and that he anu his fol-
lowers have neen and they now are a
lewd, base band of law breakers, who
merit severe punishment for the
crimes they have committed In the
name Of religion.
We hope the gentlemen referred to
will fully understand why we cannot
publish Mr.. Nelson's article, not
even to please five subscribers.